Pagefile Disabled-But Not Really?

I recently upgraded my notebook RAM to 2GB, and with on board graphics it runs at 1780MB of RAM. A few days ago I decided to disable page filing to speed up response times. According to the virtual memory menu, 0MB is allocated in the hard disk to be used for page filing. If I use the task manager though it seems to indicate something different. Under the system square, it consistently shows next to page file 700-800M\1800M. It would seem logical then to assume the system is still allocating page file space, even after being disabled. Shouldn't that area read something like 0M\0M used? Could somebody please help me understand what is going on? Is there more I must do to completely disable PF and run strictly off RAM (which seems plenty large for the purpose).
Note: Running Windows Vista Premium
Thank you

first. how did you do it?
second. what are you using your computer for? (ie. gaming, video editing etc...)
third. why would you disable your virtual memory? (page filing)

I was always told that it was a good idea to have page filing on, as a safeguard against BSD, and if you have memory leaks it would not be a good idea to have it turned off. If it is for performance, virtual memory is hardly used anyways, as long as there is abundant RAM...

please explain your purpose.

Unfortunatly, with windows if you disable the page file option, then it will automagically turn it's self back on each time you power on your computer.

For some odd reason if you don't have it set on c:\ or have another hard drive in the machine with some page file then it will auto recreate one each time you boot up the machine.

Well thats from my own experiences anyhow, i'm sure that others might pop on in and say i'm wrong or something. :D

Hi Guys,

Merry Christmas/Happy New Year to you all.:drink:

This is an interesting one, and I could be talking total bollix (why change the habit of a lifetime?:D)

I think that from 'Doze 2000 onwards there was a mandatory minimum for your page file. Something like about 2Mb or maybe 12? It just needs a little bit to get itself started, then I don't think it uses it at all?

I guess that would handle your performance consideration Matty? as it would only use it on boot up?

So, what do we need it for?............... well, mostly I guess that we don't.......

What you really need it for is troubleshooting servers, and you want a full system dump................ no, you don't really want one of those, but I guess you get the picture?

What I would suggest is that if you have a hell of a lot of RAM, the page file won't get used after 'doze has booted. You might like to try setting it to a small amount (equal max and min)........... say 24Mb?

Please let me know how you get on. :)

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Originally Posted by Matty_Who

A few days ago I decided to disable page filing to speed up response times.

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Don't. It'll actually run slower. Even though you have enough RAM windows (and most other modern OSs) will ALWAYS use some swap space.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Virtual_memory

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Originally Posted by t34b4g5

Unfortunatly, with windows if you disable the page file option, then it will automagically turn it's self back on each time you power on your computer.

For some odd reason if you don't have it set on c:\ or have another hard drive in the machine with some page file then it will auto recreate one each time you boot up the machine.

Well thats from my own experiences anyhow, i'm sure that others might pop on in and say i'm wrong or something. :D

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No, it doesn't and yes you are doing something wrong ;)

Here's a trick I use quite often.. Install your OS, install all your apps.

Go to the virtual memory settings. Select your c: drive, select "no paging file". Click on "Set" (most people seem to forget this). Reboot (page file is now permanently off) to safe mode. Run defrag to clean up.

Go to virt. mem. settings again. Select the drive of choice. Enter a minimal en maximum (same numbers). That will ensure the pagefile doesn't grow or shrink automatically (maximizing performance). And because the disk was defragged it'll take up 1 complete continues block. Click "Set", reboot.

SirDice: I use that same trick all the time too.

However, I was just cleaning a Win2k machine the other day, ( 196 meg ram ) and it automatically created a temporary page file in a temp directory. It advised me it was doing so, and warned me about having the page file turned off.

I don't know if it was the OS or the small ( relatively speaking ) amount of memory that caused it. It still allowed me to continue with the defrag unhampered though.

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Originally Posted by SirDice

Here's a trick I use quite often.. Install your OS, install all your apps.

Go to the virtual memory settings. Select your c: drive, select "no paging file". Click on "Set" (most people seem to forget this). Reboot (page file is now permanently off) to safe mode. Run defrag to clean up.

Go to virt. mem. settings again. Select the drive of choice. Enter a minimal en maximum (same numbers). That will ensure the pagefile doesn't grow or shrink automatically (maximizing performance). And because the disk was defragged it'll take up 1 complete continues block. Click "Set", reboot.

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You must spread some Reputation around before giving it to SirDice again.

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Brilliant! :D